LIBERAL ARTS
Department
of English
Thomas Strawman, Chair
Peck Hall 302
Albakry, Ashok, Badley, Baines, Barnett, Blackwell, Boldt, Bradley,
Brantley, Bray, Brewer, Burleson, Cain, Casal, Casson, Cavender,
Chapman, Clayton, Comas, Cox, Dayton, E. Donovan, K. Donovan,
Dubek, Flanigan, Gaitely, Gardner, D. Gentry, W. Gentry, Hague,
Helford, Hibbard, Hixon, Hollings, Holtzclaw, Hoop, Hopkirk,
J. Jackson, M. Jackson, Johnson, J. Kates, R. Kates, Kerrick, King,
Kirkman, Knox, Kostkowska, Lavery, Lawrence, Lee, Levine, Lutz, Lynn,
Mackin, Marchant, McClure-Wade, McCluskey, McDaniel, Miller,
Minichillo, Mitchell, Myatt, Neth, Ostrowski, Otto, Petersen, Phillips,
Porth, Reed, Renfroe, Rhodes, Saksena, Scannell, Sherman, Smith,
Sublette, Therrien, Tormey, Tyner, Walker, Williams, Wilson, Wilt
Courses in the Department of English meet the General
Education needs of all students through the development of verbal and written communication skills and
the appreciation of literature. The department offers two
undergraduate English major programs (the Bachelor of
Arts degree and the Bachelor of Arts with a concentration
in Secondary English Teacher Licensure) and an English
minor. Several interdisciplinary minors are also housed
in the English Department.
The nonteaching Bachelor of Arts program is designed
to give students a well-rounded background in the study
of the English language and its literature. Students in
our program have gone on to careers in editing, public
relations, management, public service, and many other
areas that value clarity of expression and logical thinking. Others have gone on to graduate programs, law
school, or other professional education. Students in the
Bachelor of Arts with teacher licensure program are offered preparation to teach English in grades 7–12 in the
state of Tennessee.
All students in the English Department are assigned an
advisor upon declaration of an English major. Students
should meet with their advisors for guidance in planning
their schedules and fulfilling all requirements. Those intending to get a professional license to teach English must
consult with their advisors early in their university careers
in order to ensure completion of the degree in a timely
fashion. The University does not recommend anyone for
licensure in English who has not satisfied requirements
set by the College of Education and Behavioral Science
for postbaccalaureate endorsement.
The English Department participates in interdisciplinary
majors and minors in African American Studies; American Culture; Classical Studies; Early Modern European
Studies; Environment and Human Society; Film Studies;
English 189
Global Studies; Great Books; Linguistic Studies; Media,
History, and Culture; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern
Studies; Native American Studies; Russian Studies;
Southern Studies; Twentieth-Century European Studies;
Women’s and Gender Studies; and Writing. See page
80 for a listing of interdisci­plinary minors with their coordinating departments.
Before beginning the junior year, students should fill out
an upper-division form with an advisor and file it with
the Records Office. For 3000- and 4000-­level courses,
there is normally a prerequisite of 9 semester hours
of English with a grade of C- or better.
General Requirements
A minimum of 9 semester hours in General Education composition and literature is required of all students for graduation. Stu­dents complete this requirement by taking ENGL
1010 and 1020 in sequence and ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030,
or HUM 2610.
Students must pass ENGL 1010 and 1020 in sequence
before taking ENGL 2020 or 2030 or HUM 2610. A minimum grade of C- in ENGL 1010 and 1020 is required to
receive credit.
All first-time freshmen must take the ACT or SAT and have
their scores reported to MTSU as part of the appli­cation
procedure. On the basis of the ACT or SAT scores, MTSU
will exempt students with credit from ENGL 1010 and 1020,
place students in ENGL 1010, or require further testing as
a basis for placement decisions. Place­ment is based on the
following scores:
Enhanced ACT English score of 15–18: Placement in ENGL 1009 or
further testing (See Academic Enrichment, page 98.)
Enhanced ACT English score of 19–31: Placement in ENGL 1010
Enhanced ACT English score of 32 or greater: Exemption from ENGL
1010 and 1020 with credit
Enhanced ACT English Score below 15: (See Academic Enrichment,
page 98.)
SAT Verbal Score of 390–450: Placement in ENGL 1009 or further testing (See Academic Enrichment, page 98.)
SAT Verbal Score of 460–710: Placement in ENGL 1010
SAT Verbal Score of 720 or greater: Exemption from ENGL 1010 and
1020 with credit
SAT Verbal Score below 390: (See Academic Enrichment, page 98.)
Students also may be exempt from ENGL 1010 with credit
by scor­ing 3 or better on the CEEB (see page 33). Students
may earn credit for ENGL 2030 by scoring satisfactorily on
CLEP exams (see page 32).
Students without ACT or SAT scores, students whose native
language is not English, and students who challenge their
placement in ENGL 1009 will need to take a placement
test.
Based on placement test results, students whose native language is not English may need to enroll in ENGL 1008 or 1009
for ESL students before being allowed to enroll in ENGL 1010.
190 English
LIBERAL ARTS
Successful completion of ENGL 1009, 1010, and 1020 requires a grade of C- or better. The grade of N may be awarded
in ENGL 1009, 1010, and 1020. An N may be awarded only
to students who are completing the course for the first time and
who have met all course requirements (including completing
all writing assignments and meeting attendance requirements)
yet who have not demonstrated satisfactory writing skills to
pass the course with a C- or better. The grade of N can be
assigned only for a student’s first completed attempt of ENGL
1009, 1010, and/or 1020; in subsequent attempts the student
will be assigned a grade of F if minimum writing standards
are not met. The grade of N is not punitive; it will calculate
into Hours Attempted but not into Quality Hours, and thus
it will not have an impact upon a student’s GPA. However,
since the grade is calculated into Attempted Hours, students
receiving financial aid are strongly encouraged to contact the
Financial Aid Office to see what, if any, impact an N grade
may have on their status.
3. One course must be included from each of the fol­lowing
seven groups:
I. British Literature I: Courses numbered 3100 or 4100 (or a
All students will complete the required 9 semester hours of
English General Education by passing the following courses
in the sequence in which they are listed.
1. ENGL 1010
2. ENGL 1020
3. ENGL 2020 or 2030
Curricular listings include General Education requirements
in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts,
Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral
Sciences categories as outlined on pages 64–67.
The English major is considered a “resident” major. Students may not apply more than twelve (12) hours of upperdivision distance learning (Web-based, correspondence, or
videoconference) to the major, and no more than three of
these hours may be taken outside of MTSU. English minors
may not apply more than three hours of upper-division
distance learning towards the minor.
Teacher Licensure
Students seeking a license to teach in secondary schools
(grades 7-12) must complete (1) a major in the subject they
intend to teach; (2) a minor approved for the B.A. degree (see
p. 60) or any interdisciplinary minor (see p. 80); and (3) the
Secondary Education minor.
NOTE: Please see Department of Educational Leadership on page 166
for Secondary Education minor requirements.
Major in English
A major in English consists of a minimum of 33 upper-division
semester hours.
1. Students should take the required ENGL 3000 as soon as
possible after declaring an English major or completing
freshman and sophomore General Education require­
ments for English.
2. ENGL 3010, 3020, and 3030 are required of all English
majors.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
3900/4900 special topics course focusing on British literature
before the Restoration)
II. British Literature II: Courses numbered 3200 or 4200 (or a
3900/4900 special topics course focusing on British literature
after the Restoration)
III. American Literature: Courses numbered 3300 or 4300 (or a
3900/4900 special topics course focusing on American literature)
IV. World Literature and Backgrounds of English Studies:
Courses numbered 3400 or 4400 (or a 3900/4900 special
topics course focusing on world literature, or such courses
outside the department as HUM 3950 and WMST 4209)
V. Writing, Language, and Pedagogy: Courses numbered 3500
or 3600 or 4500 or 4600
VI. Gender Studies or Cultural Studies: Courses numbered 3700
or 4700 (or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on
gender or cultural studies, or such courses outside the department as FREN 3130)
VII. Film or Popular Literature: Courses numbered 3800 or 4800
(or a 3900/4900 special topics course focusing on popular
literature or with a substantial film component)
With the approval of an advisor, the requirements above may be
slightly modified to reflect a student’s special interests, especially
in cases where a student wishes to take additional courses in a
concentrated area of study.
Students who wish to pursue a license to teach English in grades
7–12 should carefully follow the major requirements outlined in
Concentration: Secondary English Teacher Licensure below.
Courses from the Special Topics 3900/4900 number sequence will
apply to the category(ies) appropriate to the topic. Each special
topics course will be substituted into the appropriate category by
the student’s advisor.
When taught by an English faculty member, certain interdisciplinary
Honors seminars (UH 3500 and 4600) may be substituted, with
approval, in one of the above groups.
ENGL 1010, 1020, 2020, 2030, or other lower-division English
courses may not be counted as part of the hours required for an
English major.
Majors are expected to consult a member of the English
faculty each semester regarding the selection and arrange­
ment of electives. Recommended minors for English majors
include Foreign Language, History, Linguistics, Philosophy,
Political Science, Speech and Theatre, Film Studies, Writing,
and Women’s and Gender Studies, but students may choose
a minor either from those listed under the B.A. requirements
(page 60) or from the interdisciplinary minors (page 80).
All students pursuing a major in English must complete the
General Education requirements. Fol­lowing is a suggested pattern of study for the first two years; however, consultation with
an assigned advisor is necessary before each registration.
Recommended Curriculum for Non-teaching Majors
FRESHMAN SOPHOMORE
ENGL 1010, 1020 (Comm)
6 ENGL 2020 or 2030 (Hum/FA) 3
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 ENGL 3000
3
Foreign Language 1010, 1020 6 Mathematics
3
HIST 2010, 2020, or 2030
6 Foreign Language 2010, 2020 6
COMM 2200 (Comm)
3 Social/Behavioral Sciences
Humanities and/or Fine Arts
3 (2 prefixes)
6
32 HUM 2610 or other
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3
Minor or electives as advised 6
30
LIBERAL ARTS
Concentration: Secondary English Teacher Licensure
A major in English that also satisfies the academic requirements
for teacher licensure consists of a minimum of 32 upper-division semester hours.
1. Students should take the required ENGL 3000 in the
second semester of the sophomore year or as soon as
possible after declaring the English major.
2. ENGL 3010, 3020, and 3030 are required of all English
majors.
3. ENGL 3745, 4500, and 4510 are required of all majors
seeking teacher licensure in English.
4. One course must be completed from each of the following
three groups:
a. One Shakespeare course
b. ENGL 3735, 3300, 3340, or 3360
c. ENGL 3400, 3420, or 3430
5. Two hours of upper-division English electives are required
and are usually satisfied with a 3-hour course. Recommended electives include Advanced Composition, History of the English Language, Teaching ESL Writing and
Grammar, Introduction to Linguistics, Modern Poetry, or
any 4000-level special topics course.
Teaching majors are expected to consult with an English
faculty advisor each semester to select coursework and
choose a B.A. minor (in addition to the minor in Secondary
Education). Recommended B.A. minors include Anthropology, Biology, Business Administration, Classical Studies, Early
Modern European Studies, Economics, Foreign Language
(French, German, or Spanish), Geography, Geology, History,
Latin American Studies, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medieval
Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Speech and
Theatre, Sociology, Twentieth-Century European Studies, and
Women’s and Gender Studies.
In order to complete the English licensure program in four
years, students are encouraged to work closely with a faculty
advisor and to follow during their first two years the pattern
of study suggested below.
Recommended Curriculum for Teaching Majors
FRESHMAN SOPHOMORE
ENGL 1010, 1020 (Comm)
6 ENGL 2020 or 2030 (Hum/FA) 3
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 ENGL 3000
3
Foreign Language 1010, 1020 6 Mathematics
3
HIST 2010, 2020, or 2030
6 Foreign Language 2010, 2020 6
COMM 2200 (Comm)
3 Social/Behavioral Sciences
(2 prefixes)
6
Humanities and/or Fine Arts
3 FOED 1110 and 2110§
6
32 HUM 2610 or other
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3
30
NOTE: Please see Department of Educational Leadership on page 166
for Secondary Education minor requirements.
Minor in English
A minor in English requires a minimum of 15 upper-division
hours including ENGL 3000. ENGL 1010 and 1020 cannot
be counted as part of the hours required for the minor, nor
can the 3 hours of sophomore literature. Minors may not
enroll in ENGL 3010, 3020, or 4500, which are open only
to English majors.
English 191
Interdisciplinary Minors
Interdisciplinary minors are open to all students at the University. The Department of English coordinates the interdisciplinary minors in Film Studies, Great Books, and Writing. See
Interdisciplinary Minors beginning on page 80.
Courses in English [ENGL]
See back of catalog for course descriptions.
Special Topics and Selected Topics Courses
The English Department curriculum includes courses that focus
on special topics of interest to students and faculty. Courses
such as ENGL 3450, 4230, 4330, 4570, 4750, 4860, and
the entire 4900 course sequence make it possible to offer a
greater variety of courses to satisfy degree requirements. The
following is only a partial list of the special topics offered by
the department. New special topics are approved every year.
A World of Studies: Narratives from Around the World (ENGL 3450)
African Diaspora (ENGL 4900)
American Drama (ENGL 4920)
American Independent Films (ENGL 4860)
American Naturalism and Realism (ENGL 4900)
American Popular Literature in the Nineteenth Century (ENGL 4900)
Autobiography (ENGL 4940)
British Children’s Literature (ENGL 4750)
Browning and Tennyson (ENGL 4230)
Children and Film (ENGL 4750)
Children’s Fantasy Fiction (ENGL 4750)
Children’s Language (ENGL 4570)
Contemporary Novel of the Americas (ENGL 4950)
Contemporary World Cinema (ENGL 4860)
Development of the Novel in the Nineteenth Century (ENGL 4930)
Horror Film (ENGL 4860)
Jane Austen and Popular Culture (ENGL 4230)
Language and Politics (ENGL 4570)
Literature of the Vietnam War (ENGL 4730)
Lyric Poetry (ENGL 4910)
Masters of Mystery (ENGL 4980)
Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (ENGL 4900)
Selected Topics in Language and Literature (ENGL 4910)
Multicultural Literature for Children and Adolescents (ENGL 4750)
Standard English in Society (ENGL 4570)
The Appeal of Harry Potter (ENGL 4980)
The Captivity Narrative in Early American Literature (ENGL 4940)
The Inklings (ENGL 4900)
The Modern Novel (ENGL 4930)
United States Slave Narratives (ENGL 4940)
Women Writers of the Restoration and Eighteenth Century (ENGL 4900)
Women’s Popular Fiction (ENGL 4930)
Honors College
The Department of English offers the following courses in
Honors:
ENGL 1010 (Fall Semester)
ENGL 1020 (Spring Semester)
ENGL 2020 (Fall and Spring Semester)
ENGL 2030 (Fall Semester)
Upper-Division Honors
ENGL 3230, 3340, 3410, 3840, 3850, 4130, 4140, 4310,
4410, and 4780
Graduate Study
The Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees are offered in English.
Requirements for these degrees and a list of the courses offered
for graduate credit are pub­lished in the Graduate Catalog.